Sight First Campaign
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In 1925, Helen Keller challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." And we accepted. Today, sight programs remain one of our defining causes.
An estimated 37 million people are blind today.
At least 80% of blindness is reversible or could have been prevented
That is why Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and 1.4 million Lions clubs members, are engaged in a global campaign to eliminate avoidable blindness.
Sight First Facts
Preventing Blindness, Saving Sight for Millions of People Around the World for nearly 100 years, Lions Club members have worked on projects aimed at preventing blindness, restoring eyesight and improving eye care for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Lions volunteer to take part in sight projects that have:
Lions Work to Improve SightThrough efforts such as these, Lions have gained worldwide recognition for our work to improve sight. Our members around the world are also actively involved in:
What is the Sight First program?
The mission of the Sight First program is to significantly reduce preventable and reversible blindness worldwide but particularly in developing countries, where 90 percent of avoidable blindness exists.
Sight First grants are considered for projects that (1) result in significant and measurable reduction in blindness in a specified region, (2) target the leading blinding diseases and/or address crucial unmet eye care delivery needs at regional and national levels and (3) use cost-effective and sustainable strategies.
Sight First Statistics
Prevented serious vision loss for 24 million.
Provided 65 million treatments for river blindness.
Restored sight to 4.6 million with cataract.
Improved eye care services for hundreds of millions.
Built or expanded 258 eye hospitals and clinics.
Upgraded 300 eye centers with equipment.
Trained 68,000 ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, and other professional eye care workers.
Launched world's first-ever initiative to combat childhood blindness in partnership with the World Health Organization. Thirty pediatric eye care centers will be established.
Awarded US$185 million for 724 projects in 88 Countries.
In 1971, the Board of Directors of Lions Clubs International declared that June 1 would be remembered as Helen Keller Day. Lions around the world implement sight-related service projects on Helen Keller Day.
Helen Keller's Speech
1925 International Convention
Cedar Point, Ohio, USA
June 30, 1925Dear Lions and Ladies:
I suppose you have heard the legend that represents opportunity as a capricious lady, who knocks at every door but once, and if the door isn't opened quickly, she passes on, never to return. And that is as it should be. Lovely, desirable ladies won't wait. You have to go out and grab 'em.
I am your opportunity. I am knocking at your door. I want to be adopted. The legend doesn't say what you are to do when several beautiful opportunities present themselves at the same door. I guess you have to choose the one you love best. I hope you will adopt me. I am the youngest here, and what I offer you is full of splendid opportunities for service.
The American Foundation for the Blind is only four years old. It grew out of the imperative needs of the blind, and was called into existence by the sightless themselves. It is national and international in scope and in importance. It represents the best and most enlightened thought on our subject that has been reached so far. Its object is to make the lives of the blind more worthwhile everywhere by increasing their economic value and giving them the joy of normal activity.
Try to imagine how you would feel if you were suddenly stricken blind today. Picture yourself stumbling and groping at noonday as in the night; your work, your independence, gone. In that dark world wouldn't you be glad if a friend took you by the hand and said, "Come with me and I will teach you how to do some of the things you used to do when you could see?" That is just the kind of friend the American Foundation is going to be to all the blind in this country if seeing people will give it the support it must have.
You have heard how through a little word dropped from the fingers of another, a ray of light from another soul touched the darkness of my mind and I found myself, found the world, found God. It is because my teacher learned about me and broke through the dark, silent imprisonment which held me that I am able to work for myself and for others. It is the caring we want more than money. The gift without the sympathy and interest of the giver is empty. If you care, if we can make the people of this great country care, the blind will indeed triumph over blindness.
The opportunity I bring to you, Lions, is this: To foster and sponsor the work of the American Foundation for the Blind. Will you not help me hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness; no little deaf, blind child untaught; no blind man or woman unaided? I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are strong and brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?
I thank you.
- Provided nearly 8 million cataract surgeries.
- Saved the sight of more than 14 million children by providing eye screenings, glasses and other treatments through Sight for Kids.
- Prevented serious vision loss for more than 30 million people worldwide.
- Established or strengthened pediatric eye care centers that have helped more than 120 million children.
- Distributed more than 148 million treatments for river blindness.
- Vaccinated 41 million children in Africa against measles – a leading cause of childhood blindness.
- Improved eye care for 100 million people by training more than 650,000 eye care professionals and building 315 eye hospitals.
- Helped halt the spread of trachoma in Ethiopia by providing 10 million doses of the sight-saving drug azithromycin.
Lions Work to Improve SightThrough efforts such as these, Lions have gained worldwide recognition for our work to improve sight. Our members around the world are also actively involved in:
- Recycling eyeglasses at 17 centers worldwide.
- Supporting Lions Eye Banks that provide eye tissue for sight-saving surgeries.
- Screening the vision of hundreds of thousands of people every year.
- Providing treatment to those at risk of losing their vision.
What is the Sight First program?
The mission of the Sight First program is to significantly reduce preventable and reversible blindness worldwide but particularly in developing countries, where 90 percent of avoidable blindness exists.
Sight First grants are considered for projects that (1) result in significant and measurable reduction in blindness in a specified region, (2) target the leading blinding diseases and/or address crucial unmet eye care delivery needs at regional and national levels and (3) use cost-effective and sustainable strategies.
Sight First Statistics
Prevented serious vision loss for 24 million.
Provided 65 million treatments for river blindness.
Restored sight to 4.6 million with cataract.
Improved eye care services for hundreds of millions.
Built or expanded 258 eye hospitals and clinics.
Upgraded 300 eye centers with equipment.
Trained 68,000 ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, and other professional eye care workers.
Launched world's first-ever initiative to combat childhood blindness in partnership with the World Health Organization. Thirty pediatric eye care centers will be established.
Awarded US$185 million for 724 projects in 88 Countries.
In 1971, the Board of Directors of Lions Clubs International declared that June 1 would be remembered as Helen Keller Day. Lions around the world implement sight-related service projects on Helen Keller Day.
Helen Keller's Speech
1925 International Convention
Cedar Point, Ohio, USA
June 30, 1925Dear Lions and Ladies:
I suppose you have heard the legend that represents opportunity as a capricious lady, who knocks at every door but once, and if the door isn't opened quickly, she passes on, never to return. And that is as it should be. Lovely, desirable ladies won't wait. You have to go out and grab 'em.
I am your opportunity. I am knocking at your door. I want to be adopted. The legend doesn't say what you are to do when several beautiful opportunities present themselves at the same door. I guess you have to choose the one you love best. I hope you will adopt me. I am the youngest here, and what I offer you is full of splendid opportunities for service.
The American Foundation for the Blind is only four years old. It grew out of the imperative needs of the blind, and was called into existence by the sightless themselves. It is national and international in scope and in importance. It represents the best and most enlightened thought on our subject that has been reached so far. Its object is to make the lives of the blind more worthwhile everywhere by increasing their economic value and giving them the joy of normal activity.
Try to imagine how you would feel if you were suddenly stricken blind today. Picture yourself stumbling and groping at noonday as in the night; your work, your independence, gone. In that dark world wouldn't you be glad if a friend took you by the hand and said, "Come with me and I will teach you how to do some of the things you used to do when you could see?" That is just the kind of friend the American Foundation is going to be to all the blind in this country if seeing people will give it the support it must have.
You have heard how through a little word dropped from the fingers of another, a ray of light from another soul touched the darkness of my mind and I found myself, found the world, found God. It is because my teacher learned about me and broke through the dark, silent imprisonment which held me that I am able to work for myself and for others. It is the caring we want more than money. The gift without the sympathy and interest of the giver is empty. If you care, if we can make the people of this great country care, the blind will indeed triumph over blindness.
The opportunity I bring to you, Lions, is this: To foster and sponsor the work of the American Foundation for the Blind. Will you not help me hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness; no little deaf, blind child untaught; no blind man or woman unaided? I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are strong and brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?
I thank you.
